1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a treatment method for sealing leaking concrete roof slabs and the like and, more specifically, to a sealing method for treating porous portland cement concrete slabs and/or portland cement concrete slabs containing hairline cracks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current methods for sealing leaking concrete roof slabs utilize the layering or lamination of asphalt/tar-based materials and the like, which are placed directly on the surface of the slab. These materials eventually crack or delaminate and once again allow water to seep through the concrete slab.
Preliminary patentability searches in at least class 52, subclass 169.14, class 106, subclasses 33 and 468; class 126, subclasses 33 and 368; and class 252, subclasses 315.2, 315.5 and 378 produced the following patents which may relate to the present invention:
Bechtner, U.S. Pat. No. 2,277,286, issued Mar. 24, 1942, discloses a method for impeding the flow of water and for reinforcing structures to prevent the seepage of water therethrough. The Bechtner methods consist generally of placing an insert, mass or blanket of swellable bentonite (i.e., clay) in a compartment formed within the structure. This insert, mass or blanket of swellable bentonite is activated by water after it is installed in the structure. That is, the insert, mass or blanket of bentonite is installed during construction of the structure and then, if water leaks through the structure to the compartment, the bentonite will swell to prevent the seepage of water past the compartment.
Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,478, issued May 25, 1954, discloses a drilling fluid comprising water, clay, and between about 0.01% and 10% by weight of water dispersible methyl cellulose for use in the drilling of oil and gas wells.
Pebley, U.S. Pat. No. 2,898,759, issued Aug. 11, 1959, discloses a method of repairing a basement wall by forming a cavity in the earth adjacent the leak, then filling the cavity with dry bentonite, and then subjecting the bentonite to moisture to form a gel and swell in the cavity against the leak.
Cassidy, U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,552, issued Oct. 29, 1968, discloses a method of waterproofing a basement by removing soil to form an excavation exposing the basement wall, filling the bottom portion of the excavation with a dry granular water expansible material, placing a removable division wall in position in the excavation in spaced relation to the outer surface of the basement wall to define a first space between the division wall and the outer surface of the basement wall and a second space between the division wall and the opposite vertical face of the excavation, filling the first and second spaces respectively with dry granular water expansible material and with a water permeable aggregate material, and then removing the division wall.
Braden et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,406, issued Sep. 30, 1969, discloses a method of treating soil containing a water sensitive clay to stabilize the clay against swelling by mixing the soil with a guanidine salt in a polar oxygenated aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent of a prescribed type and compacting the treated admixture.
Marx, U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,968, issued Mar. 2, 1971, discloses a method for plugging and preventing lost circulation in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore by forcing a volume of synthetic sponge particles of regenerated cellulose into the formation and then expanding the sponge particles by contacting the sponge particles with water.
Olton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,762, issued Dec. 28, 1971, and Olton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,838, issued Dec. 12, 1972, disclose waterproofing barriers for use as a protective layer in a below grade concrete roof system, etc. The barriers consist of water-swellable colloidal clay and particulate, inorganic metal salt treated with an oleaginous carboxylic acid, the latter serving to control the natural swelling of the clay while maintaining the integrity of the barrier.
Randolph et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,073, issued May 28, 1985, discloses a method of pressure impregnating hydrophobic coatings onto porous mineral fillers using steam as a carrier for the coating material resulting in very water-resistant coated particles useful in filling polymeric substrates such as paints.
Alexander, U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,538, issued Jan. 6, 1987, discloses a composition including a water swellable clay and particularly a montmorillonite clay such as bentonite; xanthan gum; and one or more additional water-soluble gums for preventing the clay from settling from the composition when contacted with salt contaminated water.
Magaritz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,259, issued Mar. 3, 1987, discloses a method for sealing the bottom layer of ponds and reservoirs by mixing sand with about 5% of montmorillonite, compressing this mixture to reach a specific gravity of at least 1.6, washing the mixture with a solution of about the ionic strength and composition of seawater, and washing the mixture with fresh water until the percolating water has an electric conductivity of fresh water.
McGroarty et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,923, issued Sep. 15, 1987, discloses a waterproofing sheet used to waterproof structures above and below grade. The waterproofing sheet has a single layer of non-degradable, water impermeable polymeric membrane that has layers of particles of non-hydrated sodium montmorillonite adhering to the membrane in a uniform layered thickness
Hatsuzaki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,193, issued May 17, 1988, discloses a mixture for sealing water leakage in concrete structures which consists essentially of an organic polyisocyanate compound and/or a prepolymer having terminal isocyanate residues, and 2-pyrrolidone. The mixture is injected for grouting into water-leaking cracks or openings of concrete structures, diffuses into the cracks or openings, and is cured by reacting with water at the leaking sites.
McGroarty, U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,085, issued Jun. 6, 1989, discloses a waterproofing strip used to seal interfacing surfaces of building components. The waterproofing strip has a single layer of a nondegradable, water impermeable polymeric membrane that has layers of particles of non-hydrated sodium montmorillonite adhering to the walls of the opposite surfaces thereof. The strip is placed between or across interfacing surfaces of two building components to prevent water migration.
Schuhbauer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,878, issued Jul. 10, 1990, discloses a method of sealing structural bodies or cavity-defining walls by enclosing the structural body or wall with and enclosing wall spaced from the structural body or wall; filling the spaced formed between the structure and enclosing wall with a filler of broken stone, etc.; and introducing a flowable sealing fluid having a high viscosity into the voids left in the filler.
Nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests the present invention. More specifically, none of the known prior art methods for sealing concrete slabs and the like involve the transport of clay particles through hairline cracks and interconnected pores in portland cement concrete and the formation of a filter cake therein.